Our Story

This home is BLESSED with
love, laughter, family, friends, and ANIMALS.

Please take a few minutes and read OUR STORY. Be sure to read all the way to the rose. When you have more time come back, click each picture under the paragraphs and enjoy the slide shows, as you stroll with us down our memory lane right into the present.

I was born, Cynthia Lynn Hite, in the Piedmont area of North Carolina in 1957. I have lived in North Carolina most of my life except for about three years when my family moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. My childhood was happy and secure although we did not have much money. My Dad’s job resulted in us moving numerous times. Because of this, my dream growing up was to finally settle down in the hills of North Carolina and have a “farm” with lots of animals, especially horses and dogs. As we moved around, my parents went nearly crazy trying to provide a small part of this dream for me.

In my early teens God intervened in my life and I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I was lucky enough to have a Mom, two brothers and a sister also saved. We were so very happy. Thankfully my Dad accepted Christ a few years before he passed away in 1996.

Finally settling in Wilson, North Carolina my dream seemed to be coming true. But after graduating from Wilson Christian School, romance got in the way of my goals both in the animal field and serving the Lord. I married shortly after high school and had two beautiful daughters. Holley, born in 1978 and Wendy in 1983.

Holley has dark brown eyes and hair with wonderful dark skin; she was my little Indian papoose. She has a natural and carefree attitude toward life. She inherited my love of animals and became a trainer of American Saddlebred horses. Wendy is the fair maiden with blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. Her great love growing up was Sprite and she had a desire for flying from the time she was two years old. She is studious and takes life very serious. She attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and will graduate in December 2006 from NC State with a degree in Graphic Engineering.

During the years of being a single parent, with the love and support of family, friends and great employees, my daughters and I owned and operated a thriving grooming and boarding facility (Autumn Acres). But raising the Westies was my passion.

I was truly blessed that both of my girls accepted Christ at early ages. My daily prayer for them was to serve God, and if they married, to find good Christian men. God answered my prayer!

Holley met Brain, a tall, dark and handsome young man when she was only 14 years old. They were high school sweethearts. Brian was the rock the girls and I leaned on through some of our most difficult years. The two of them were married shortly after graduation. They have two wonderful children, Scott is five years old and Savannah is six years old. Savannah is already an accomplished horsewoman and is going to ask Santa Claus to bring her a Westie puppy this year for Christmas. Scott is fast becoming an able rider himself. Just this year both of my grandchildren have asked Jesus into their hearts.

Wendy also married her high school sweetheart, Blake. They met at the local airport where they both were getting their pilot’s licenses. After Blake completed his BLET certification and Wendy was one year into college at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University they married. Blake is a handsome, dark haired, soft-spoken, gentle young man and his lifetime goal is to someday own/operate an airport. They have no children as of now. Wendy and Blake have observed the wonderful adoption process up close in our family, more than once, therefore they are seriously considering adopting when the time is right. She and Blake are “parents” to Sprite the little Westie that was the beginning of Autumn Acres now Arrowhead Acres. Their second “child” is a young female Westie named Harley.

After being single for several years the Lord blessed me with a wonderful Christian husband, David. He quickly became the spiritual and physical backbone of our family. Because of his loving, thoughtful and humorous ways he is the center of my universe. His favorite phrase is “IT’S ALL ABOUT RESPECT.” David has a very tender heart when it comes to babies of any kind, human or animals, so he enjoys the puppies very much. He too is a lover of horses having shown Palominos, in halter, becoming very successful. David is a strong, hardworking man and my goals and dreams quickly became his own.

David and I adopted a son after just a couple of years of marriage, taking him home from the hospital when he was just one day old and he is now five. We named him Joshua Luke after our, much loved, Grandfathers. He is the joy of our life, though he keeps us very busy. The happiness Luke has brought into all of our lives is one reason Wendy and Blake are considering adopting.

In the year 2000 after much searching and praying the Lord led us to 12 acres of land in northwestern Nash County where the land is definitely rolling. What had become “our” dream was coming true.

Two years later, after selling the grooming and boarding facility, we began building a house. Our home is large but simple. We wanted plenty of space to have lots of company. Then with the help of family and friends came the pasture and barns for the horses and last but not least the state of the art kennel facility. In the past our property had been inhabited by the Tuscarora Indians and as we cleared the land for construction we found beautiful arrowheads. Because of the heritage of the land and a new beginning for all of us we changed the name to Arrowhead Acres

We have quite a large extended family. David’s Mom and Dad have five grown children, eleven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. His parents and siblings are solid, fun loving, patriotic, and are always there for their family. I have a precious Step-dad and with him came two great stepsisters. Between my Mom and “Dad” there are six children, all married, ten grandchildren, two of whom are married and two great grandchildren. It is a joy to see my Mom and “Dad” being able to grow old together while serving the Lord. Next to David my Mom is my best friend. Family gatherings are quite hectic but no one is left out. My family and David’s family come together for all special occasions.

Arrowhead Acres is a joy for all of us but it is much hard work. We are trusting the Lord for many happy years at Arrowhead Acres

This story is possible only because of the Grace and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23. We cherish the work God has done in our lives and give thanks to Him daily for His many blessings.

This brief resume of her life was written by my mother, Cindy Erickson, July 31st 2006.
Cindy has now retired, even though close by, and I have taken over. I will be adding more to this story.
Wendy Erickson